Sam woke up at 7 o'clock after his first day of oddity. He grumbily got out of bed, collapsed to the ground, and got himself some eggs. "So...what's on the adgenda for today?" He played his phone messages and listened for an interesting one. An overdue movieand someone calling about an invite to a strip club, which interested Sam until he realized that it was for the night before. "If only the wierd time thing would happen right now." He laughed. Then, an odd message came up. "It's going to happen soon."
"What the hell? What's happening? and who the hell is that? sounds kinda demonic. Oh well, wrong number."
Next message was from some guy asking him to bring some machine to England. "Hell to the yes! Always wanted some tea and crumpets."

"Ja~ack"
"Yes father?"
Jack walked out of his room, one earphone in his left ear, the other hanging neglected down the front of his favourite black shirt.
"Son, I think its time for a change."
His dad was never one to beat around the bush. Even when he was little, anything Jack had ever asked of him was instantly given in a straight-forward and almost clinical manner.
He also, was impossible to change once he made his mind up about anything.
Jack sighed and then nodded, walking back into his room.
"Alright dad," he called back, packing up his meagre collection of belongings into his travel-worn black suitcase and shutting it. It only took a minute to pack for him, "where to this time? Michigan? Its been a while since we lived there."
"No boy, I think this time, we need a bigger change. How about England? You could learn more about that nutjob Professor you like so much!"

Jack froze as he walked out into the living room of the apratment they lived in and glanced down at the coffee table.
"England," he said in a detached way, "England..."
Things seemed strange for a moment, and for some reason he seemed oddly aware of everything around him. His father, pouring a cup of coffee to overfill in the next room, the timer on the oven one second from beeping, even the sound of a cat in the hallway outside, scratching at its doorway to come in. But what he noticed most, was the book sitting on the coffee table.
"Dad," he said, and the silence, and strangeness disappeared for the moment, "where did you get that book?"

"It's a present, for joining me in this hectic life we live." His dad called back, "got it at one of those older bookshops, I know I called him a whackjob, but that Professor Evans of yours has some pretty good ideas about the world. Only problem is the previous owner seems to have wrote a message in the front cover."
His dad shrugged as he walked in.
"Doesn't matter. Why don't you flick through it for a minute, while I call a taxi to take us to the airport."
Jack nodded and sat down, dropping his suitcase and opening the book.
There, in the front cover in spindly writing was a single sentence that would change his life forever.
It said;

It will happen soon. Are you ready, Jack Hisagi?

Donavon was driving the limo with Ray sitting in the back reviewing his presentation. Neither one spoke as the vehicle had left the mansion, and it was silent for the whole trip. All Ray could hear, was the sound of his own thoughts as he decided what he would and would not say in his lecture.
"Sir we are here."
The limo pulled into the airport where Ray's private jet sat ready for take-off. When they were stopped, Ray got out of the car as Donavon grabbed his bags. The two walked over to the plane where Donavon gave the luggage to a stewart to store.
Ray turned to him and spoke.
"Enjoy your time off Donavon. Just don't let me come home to a ruined house." Donavon smiled as he made his joke.
"Sir, life is always dull for me when you are away." He gave his bow, went back to the limo, and drove away.

When Ray was settled in, the pilot came out to meet him.
"Hello sir, my name is Jason Danvers, and I will be your pilot for this trip. This is Jannet," he said pointing to a woman at his side. "She will help you with anything that you need. My Co-pilot David is in the cockpit prepping for take-off. I hope you enjoy your flight."
"Thank you, I will."
The pilot went back to the front of the plane. In a matter of minutes they were in the air. Since this was to be a long flight Jannet brought out food for him. The two made little conversation. On the projector screen were the visual aids that he had planned to use in his presentation on what Professor Evans Ideas would lead to. After a few hours, he shut it down and sat there. Jannet walked over to him.
"There are still four hours left in the flight, would you like me to put a movie on for you."
"No thank you. I had better get my rest, so I could be mentally ready for tomorrow."
He laid back his head and closed his eyes.

He was back at the universtiy sitting in a crowded lecture hall. Next to him was a video camera which was pointed at a podium in the front of the room. A man entered the room and walked to the front where he faced everyone that watched.
It was Professor Evans. He was alive, but no one else around thought this to be strange.
Then he realized this is not happening now. This is a lecture that he had given many years ago, but Ray could not remember this one. He had not been there to see this one, and there hadn't been a tape of it in the library.
Finally Evans began: "Today I will talk to you all about the potential Rift..."

The plane touched down on the runway in England. The jolt woke Ray from his sleep. The only thing that he could think about was this dream. Had there been a lost lecture about a rift. What was this about? Was the dream real, or was it just that, a dream.

Sam pulled up to his friends house. Walking up to the front, he wondered about wether or not the flight to England was paid for. The door opened. "Yo, Kev, you called about a job to England or something."
"Yeah man, just deliver this package to some museum owner or something at this adress. I was given a ticket, but I can't go, I'm busy." Sam was given a small package and a plane ticket and drove off to the airport. Boarding the plane, he was amazed to see he was seated first class. "Wow..." He took a seat, relieved at how much better it was than flying coach, and quickly drifted off to sleep.

Jack stared at the book for the few seconds it took for the message to sink in and then he blinked and looked up.
"D-d-dad," he stuttered, slightly scared, "you said it was dedicated to the previous owner, but it says-"
he cut off as he looked back down and let out a startled shout.
The message, was gone, replaced with a scrawly blue pen with a signature in rough writing at the bottom.
"Hhnnn?" his Dad grunted, head poking out and suitcase in hand, "yeah, the guy who wrote it, that Evans guy, signed the copy for the owner. Thought you'd be happy." he added in a slightly offended tone.
"I, I am dad," Jack managed to get out, managing a wan smile for effect, "thank you very much."
"OK!" his dad exclaimed then, startling Jack so much he fell over onto the couch, "let's go, the taxi should be here now!" he glanced at his son and snorted, "no time for sitting down, let's go!"

A few hours later Jack was sitting staring out the window of the plane as they made their way to London.
"Man," the man next to him groaned loudly, punctuated by another groan and a sigh, "I hate flying. What about you kid?"
Jack simply grunted and continued to stare out the window, completely unaware of the strangers now growing anger.
"Hey kid," he said, voice growing in volume ever so slightly word by word, "I asked you a question."
Jack ignored him again, now interested in a flock of geese just visible out of the window, until the stranger grabbed his arm.
Jack turned, eyes wide and saw the man glaring at him with a murderous intent.

"Well boy," he asked in a low menacing tone, "do you dislike flying?"
"Let go of me!" Jack yelled and something flashed, the lights Jack thought in an oddly detached way, and the stranger let go with a yell.
"What was that for!" the man yelled, raising a fist until suddenly, he stopped, eyes wide.
Jack was unaware of what happened next. All he knew was that he blacked out and woke again when the plane had landed in London and that there was no-one in the seat next to him, or next to that either.
As he disembarked the plane, he caught sight of his dad coming back from First Class and he again silently cursed his dad for leaving him.
"Hey dad," he asked in a falsely happy tone, "how was First Class?"
They had just crossed the tarmac and had made it to the actual airport terminals.
"Well son-" his dad began, but he stopped as all sound ceased for a split second, as if everything had been suddenly muted, and then it turned back on with a vengeance as the plane they had just been on blew up.